7 Best Puppy Foods for Golden Retrievers (Our Top Picks)

Bringing your golden retriever puppy home is all fun and exciting. However, you must buy the best puppy food for your golden retriever, specific to their breed, to ensure they grow into a healthy and happy dog. 

Finding the right food for your puppy can be overwhelming as you simply want the best for them. We’ve created this guide with our top 7 picks to make your journey of being a dog parent a lot easier. 

Quick Picks

Best Puppy Foods for Golden Retrievers

1.    Best Overall: Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dry Puppy Food

This puppy food offers specially targeted puppy nutrition with real chicken as the number one ingredient to provide your puppy with nutritional building blocks for healthy growth and development. 

It contains DHA from fish oil for brain and vision development, antioxidants to support your puppy’s developing immune system, omega 6 and vitamin A for healthy skin and coat, and calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals for strong teeth and bones. 

Main Features

👍 First Five Ingredients: Chicken, rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal

👍 Item Form: Crunchy kibble

👍 Type: Grain-inclusive

Pros

✅ Free of artificial colors or flavors

✅ Also available in beef and rice flavor

✅ Helps make the coat glossy

Cons

❌ The bag isn’t resealable

2.    Best Breed-Specific: Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Breed Specific Dry Dog Food

This puppy food is specially formulated for golden retriever puppies while considering their unique lifestyle, life stage, and health needs by partnering with vets and experts. Even the kibble has specialized shape and texture for your pup’s face and jaw structure to encourage chewing and eating.

An exclusive blend of vitamin E and antioxidants supports their immune system, and essential nutrients like taurine, DHA, and EPA support heart health. For optimal digestive health and stool quality, it’s formulated with high-quality protein and prebiotics. 

Main Features

👍 First Five Ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat gluten, chicken fat, wheat

👍 Item Form: Dry

👍 Type: Grain-inclusive

Pros

✅ Ensures healthy skin and coat

✅ Most pet parents claim that their puppies devour the bowl

✅ Excellent nutrition

Cons

❌ A bit expensive

3.    Best Wet Food: PEDIGREE CHOPPED GROUND DINNER Puppy Canned Soft Wet Dog Food With Chicken & Beef

This best wet food for golden retriever puppy contains real chicken and beef with the necessary vitamins and minerals to provide complete and balanced nutrition without compromising taste and texture.

Since it’s made in the US using the best ingredients from around the globe, you don’t have to fret about the quality. Moreover, it’s formulated to help support teeth, muscle, brain, and bone development in growing golden retriever puppies.  

(You can also check out our detailed review on the best wet foods here – 5 Best Canned Wet Foods for Golden Retrievers)

Main Features

👍 First Five Ingredients: CHICKEN, SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, MEAT BY-PRODUCT, ANIMAL LIVER, BEEF

👍 Item Form: Ground

👍 Type: Grain-free

Pros

✅ Can be used as a topper

✅ Excellent value for money

✅ Free of added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors

Cons

❌ Limited flavor options

4.    Best Dry Food: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food

This is the best dry food for golden retriever puppies because it supports healthy growth and development of large-breed puppies like golden retrievers using real chicken, wholesome whole grains, and garden veggies and fruits. 

It features essential fatty acids found in the mother’s milk (DHA and ARA) to support cognitive function and retinal health. Holistic vets and animal nutritionists carefully select a blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support immune health. 

To ensure proper bone development at the ideal pace, which is crucial for golden retrievers, it uses an optimal blend of calcium, phosphorus, and essential vitamins. 

Main Features

👍 First Five Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley

👍 Item Form: Dry

👍 Type: Grain-inclusive

Pros

✅ Ideal kibble size

✅ Promotes healthy skin and coat

✅ Helps in building strong muscles

✅ Free of chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives

Cons

❌ Can be a bit pricier for some

❌ Has no other flavor options

5.    Best Budget: Purina ONE Plus Large Breed Puppy Food Dry Formula

This puppy food includes real chicken as the first ingredient with glucosamine to facilitate maintaining the right growth rate, supporting joint health and growing muscles, including a healthy heart, for an affordable price. 

It also contains DHA to support brain and vision development and four antioxidants for a strong immune system. It offers 100% nutrition for puppies without any fillers to ensure every ingredient has a purpose. 

Main Features  

👍 First Five Ingredients: Chicken, rice flour, soybeal meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal

👍 Item Form: Kibble with meaty morsels

👍 Type: Grain-inclusive

Pros

✅ Contains tender meaty morsels

✅ Free of artificial flavors or preservatives 

✅ Comes with rice for your pup’s delicate stomach

✅ Includes calcium for strong teeth and healthy gums

✅ Supports shiny coat and healthy skin

Cons

❌ The chicken pieces may sometimes block the gravity feeder

6.    Best Grain-Free: Instinct Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Natural Dry Dog Food

This dog food is made without wheat, corn, soy, potato, grain, and by-product meal, which may trigger food sensitivity in your pup. The high-protein, grain-free kibble combines with freeze-dried minimally-processed raw cage-free chicken pieces with boosted nutrition. 

It features guaranteed levels of calcium and phosphorus for strong bones & teeth, natural DHA from chicken eggs for brain & eye development, probiotics & antioxidants for digestive & immune health, and natural omegas 3 & 6 for healthy skin & coat. 

Main Features

👍 First Five Ingredients: Chicken, Turkey Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Chicken Eggs

👍 Item Form: Kibble

👍 Type: Grain-free

Pros

✅ No artificial colors or preservatives

✅ The kibble pieces are easier to chew

✅ Easy to serve

✅ Ideal for picky eaters

Cons

❌ Some pet parents complain about the raw pieces not being enough in the bag

❌ A bit pricey

7.    Best for Allergies: Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Large Breed Puppy Food with Probiotics

If you’re looking for the best dog food for golden retrievers with allergies and sensitivities, this is the one because it contains real salmon as the first ingredient with easily digestible rice and is free of corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, or flavors.

It supports an appropriate growth rate for large-breed puppies like golden retrievers to help them thrive. Since it’s fortified with guaranteed live probiotics, it greatly supports digestive and immune health. 

Antioxidants support their developing immune system. Sunflower oil, rich in omega-6 fatty acids, ensures healthy skin and coat, and DHA from omega-rich fish oil helps in brain and vision development. 

Main Features

👍 First Five Ingredients: Salmon, Rice, Barley, Fish Meal, Canola Meal

👍 Item Form: Kibble

👍 Type: Grain-inclusive

Pros

✅ Calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals help build strong bones and teeth

✅ Great flavor

✅ Helps puppies have normal solid stool 

Cons

❌ Kibble may be too small for older puppies

How to Choose the Best Puppy Food for Golden Retrievers? 

When finding the right food for your golden retriever puppy, you must consider several factors, which we will discuss below, to ensure they grow into a healthy adult. 

Factor#1: Nutritional Content

Since golden retriever puppies are considered large-breed, their nutritional requirement is different than small-breed puppies as they need more time to grow. 

Food for golden retriever puppies contains lower levels of fats and calories than regular puppy food as well as a carefully balanced ratio of calcium to phosphorus. 

This not only moderates their growth rate but also ensures extra weight doesn’t put undue stress on their growing joints and bones. 

Hence, when buying the best food for your golden retriever puppy, make sure the product packaging has an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy. 

This ensures that the puppy food you’re buying is nutritionally balanced and complete for your golden retriever pup (large breed). 

Factor #2: Ingredient Profile 

It’s essential for you to carefully read the ingredient list and check whether the puppy food has a high-quality source of protein, which should generally be the first ingredient. 

In addition, you should look out for ingredients your dog may be allergic to or sensitive to. It’s better for ingredients to be natural and have no fillers. 

At times, high-end dog foods tend to contain more high-quality ingredients and no fillers. However, keep in mind that a high price doesn’t always mean that the quality of food is high. 

You must always read the ingredient list and do your research accordingly. It’s also recommended to talk to your vet about the right food for your golden retriever puppy.  

Factor #3: Reliable Brand 

Generally, pet parents tend to opt for dog food brands that are already well-known. When choosing any dog food brand, you must check whether they conduct scientific research via feeding trials to ensure nutritional adequacy. 

The manufacturing company must also have strict quality control guidelines to ensure what’s mentioned on the label is true. 

Some brands even have vets and nutritionists who help formulate diets for puppies, which is exceptional. 

You may have to research the food brand’s website or even directly call them to gather information on all this. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1.    What should I feed my 4 month old golden retriever?

Feed your 4-month-old golden retriever puppy food specifically formulated for large breeds, rich in protein and essential nutrients. Divide the daily amount into 3-4 smaller meals and consult your vet for specific guidance.

2.    What is the best home cooked food for golden retriever puppy?

For a golden retriever puppy, prepare balanced homemade meals with proteins (chicken, fish), carbohydrates (brown rice, sweet potatoes), fats (fish oil), and vegetables (carrots, peas). Consult a vet for correct proportions to ensure proper growth, as puppies have specific nutritional needs compared to adults.

3.    What do you feed a golden puppy?

Feed a golden retriever puppy high-quality food like Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, or Purina Pro Plan. Ensure balanced nutrition for muscle, bone, and coat health. Adjust portions based on your vet’s advice and your puppy’s needs.

4.    Is rice good for golden retriever puppy?

Rice is safe for golden retriever puppies, serving as a beneficial carbohydrate source. It’s good in moderation, often found in commercial dog foods. Ensure it’s plain and thoroughly cooked, and remember it shouldn’t be the main component of their diet.

5.    Is boiled egg good for golden retriever puppy?

Boiled eggs are good for golden retriever puppies, providing essential nutrients like protein and fatty acids. Feed them in moderation, up to one or two eggs per week depending on size, without additives like salt or pepper. Always include eggs as part of a balanced diet, and consult your vet.

6.    Can we give milk to golden retriever puppy?

Golden retriever puppies can occasionally drink small amounts of milk if they are not lactose intolerant or allergic to it. However, many are lactose intolerant, leading to digestive issues. Limit to one or two tablespoons to avoid health risks like obesity or pancreatitis due to milk’s fat and sugar content.

Conclusion

One of the things important to give your golden retriever puppy the best life is providing them high-quality food that fulfills their nutritional needs and requirements. Since golden retriever is large-breed, you must ensure you give them the right food for their growth and development, as mentioned in the article. 

One of the scientifically-driven companies is Purina which contains a purposeful blend of ingredients. You should check out this product review next – 6 Best Purina Dog Foods for Golden Retrievers